The present invention relates to a structure of a component mounting portion configured to mount thereon a component provided with a pair of engagement arms having an elastic force such as to enable the engagement arms to move toward and away from each other in a widthwise direction, as well as a functional unit incorporating such a structure.
An electronic apparatus, such as an image forming apparatus, includes a functional unit such as a secondary transfer belt unit. Such a functional unit has electrical components including an electromagnetic clutch and a sensor. A junction cable included in an electric circuit associated with such electrical components is sometimes provided at an intermediate portion thereof with a coupler pair as a terminal interconnecting a plurality of electrical wiring lines, such as a power line and a signal line, collectively.
The coupler pair includes first and second couplers which can be coupled to each other. Among components including such a first coupler, there are components of the type which includes a pair of engagement arms having an elastic force such as to enable the engagement arms to move toward and away from each other in a widthwise direction. With a conventional structure of a component mounting portion, the first coupler is mounted by bringing the pair of engagement arms into engagement with an engagement hole formed in a panel-shaped mounting portion provided in a housing and then the second coupler is coupled to first coupler mounted on the mounting portion, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI7-280425. Such an arrangement offers an improved operability in interconnecting a plurality of electric wiring lines.
However, when the first coupler is removed from the mounting portion for the reason of electric component replacement or other reason, the first coupler is withdrawn from the engagement hole by deforming the engagement arms against their elastic force. Such a removing operation is poor in operability and might break the engagement arms.
A feature of the present invention is to provide a structure of a component mounting portion which has a high operability in removing the component from the mounting portion and which is capable of suppressing breakage of the engagement arms.